The cafeteria is the main dining hall for the students and faculty of Greendale Community College. The study group regularly gathers here for lunch along with the other students. It is officially called the North Cafeteria after Admiral William North and is located on campus in the western portion of the east hall. It is a large facility equipped with enough tables and chairs for over a hundred students. The dining area is situated in front of two large walls of windows that give a nice view of the campus. It has a cafeteria staff, a sandwich shop, and connects directly to the student lounge. The cafeteria's first appearance was in the premiere episode of Season One and has been featured in almost every episode since then.

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Pilot: After purchasing his lunch, Jeff introduces himself to Britta and invites her to join his study group. Pierce is also seen having trouble putting a hot dog in a bun and Jeff later annoys a member of the cafeteria staff.

"Modern Warfare": During a reprieve from the Paintball Assassination game being played on campus, the remaining study group participants Shirley, Jeff, Britta and Abed set up camp for the night in the deserted cafeteria.

"Pascal's Triangle Revisited": The annual Transfer Dance Formal (later shortened to just "Tranny Dance") celebrating the students moving on to real colleges is held in the cafeteria. A Transfer Queen competition leads to a declaration of love, a fight between Chang and Duncan with men in dalmatian outfits trying to pull them apart.

"Aerodynamics of Gender": Abed starts to abuses his powers of observation and notices when eating lunch in the cafeteria that he has alienated himself from the rest of the student body.

"A Fistful of Paintballs": During the sequel to last year's paintball competition, Pierce creates a haven in the cafeteria and student lounge he dubs "Fort Hawthorne'" Later, the study group confronts Pierce over his treacherous actions and a four way duel ends up taking place between Annie and Pierce and Jeff and The Black Rider.

The Greendale cafeteria has employed a number of workers, a few of which are familiar faces at the school.

Cafeteria lady

During Jeff's first week, he approached Britta in the cafeteria to flirt. After she blew him off, the cafeteria lady walked up, and he joked that he thought she was his cosmic mentor because he was conditioned by television to think that all African American women over fifty are cosmic mentors. She then asked him if he was conditioned to pay for his lunch.

This cafeteria server was called a deaf mute by Pierce for not responding to him after he asked her about Chicken Fingers. It turns out she just had throat surgery and couldn't speak. After Star-Burns was fired as fry cook she posts a help wanted sign that is immediately taken down by Shirley. In Season Two, she denies Jeff a helping of macaroni and cheese because of how he treated Britta at the Tranny Dance.

Star-Burns was the cafeteria fry cook and abused his position by making sure only a select few got the coveted chicken fingers. Jeff and the study group got him fired and replaced him with Abed who becomes corrupted. Star-Burns later gives Jeff a key which grants him access to destroy the deep fat fryer.

The Food service manager was forced to fire Star-Burns when a story by the school newspaper showed him abusing his power as fry cook. He then interviewed several candidates for the position and was greatly impressed with Abed Nadir's resume. Troy's interview disturbed him, however, as he showed up in costume dressed like a pharaoh.

After seeing how Star-Burns the fry cook was skimming chicken fingers for his friends, Jeff got him fired and replaced him with Abed. This leads to Abed creating an elaborate mafia style distribution network with him at the head of the organization, currying favors from the student body in exchange for chicken fingers. After Jeff convinces him he went too far, he quits.